Willard McCormick

Willard Leon "Mac" McCormick, Jr., age 87, passed away on Monday, September 27, at Heritage House in Atlantic, Iowa. Mac was born on November 3, 1922, in David City, Nebraska, and was raised by his parents Willard Leon McCormick, Sr. and Clara Alverta (Reitz) McCormick on a farm in Polk County, Nebraska. He had three siblings, Eileen (Carson), Frances (Schmidt), and Richard. He attended the District #9 Grade School for eight years, and graduated from Silver Creek High School in 1939. After working on the family farm for several years, he moved to San Diego, California and worked at Consolidated Aircraft making B-24's. He then entered the military service, joining the Navy and serving in the SeaBees for 30 months. He was involved in the invasion of Okinawa on April 1, 1945, with the 6th Marine Division. Once out of the service, he followed the wheat harvest into North and South Dakota before being hired by the Earl May Seed Company of Shenandoah, Iowa. He was responsible for opening new retail stores in Centerville, Muscatine, and Davenport. In 1954 he moved to Atlantic, Iowa, to manage the Earl May store there. He served proudly as President of the Atlantic Chamber of Commerce, and became a member of the First United Methodist Church where he met his wife, Naomi, while singing in the choir. They were wed on July 27, 1956, and enjoyed 49 years of marriage before Naomi passed away in 2005. He was also preceded in death by his sister Frances (husband Arnold) Schmidt of Camarillo, California. He is survived by his sister Eileen (husband Dennis) Carson of Neligh, Nebraska, brother Col. Richard (wife Jo) McCormick (Ret) of Salinas, California, his daughter, Carol Andersen, of Atlantic, his son and daughter-in-law, Michael and Joyce McCormick, of Coralville, Iowa, and numerous nieces and nephews, He enjoyed, golfing, square dancing and enjoyed the company of their many friends. He was also a die hard Nebraska Cornhusker fan.Funeral InformationServices for Mac will be held 10:30 Friday morning. October 1, 2010, at the Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic, IA, with Rev. Lynette Plambeck of the First United Methodist Church officiating. The interment will be in the Atlantic Cemetery with a military service by the Atlantic Color Guard. There is open visitation at Rolands from 8:00 A.M. to 5.30 P.M daily until a family visitation from 5 to 7 at Rolands Thursday evening, September 30. Roland Funeral Service is caring for Mac"s family and the arrangements. Condolences may be left on their website at rolandfuneralservice.com.IN LOVING MEMORY OFWILLARD "MAC&" MCCORMICKBorn November 3, 1922Davis City, NebraskaENTERED INTO RESTSeptember 27, 2010Atlantic, Iowa 87 years, 10 months, 24 daysFUNERAL SERVICEFriday, October 1, 201010:30 A.M.Roland Funeral Home ~ Atlantic, IowaOFFICIATINGReverend Lanette PlambeckFirst United Methodist ChurchMUSICAL SELECTIONS"Rock of Ages&""Shall We Gather At The River&""Because He Lives&" ORGANIST SINGER Sharon Breckerbaumer Randall BreckerbaumerBEARERS Gene Kluever Jim McCormick James Elwell Dan Edstrom John Carson Gary CarsonHONORARY BEARERS Wendell Weideman Red Larsen Dick Anderson Ed WhitakerFLOWER COMMITTEE Marge Huston Dee Anderson Dorothy StuartINTERMENTAtlantic Cemetery ~ Atlantic, IowaColor Guard ServicesPlease join Mac"s family for a time of fellowship at the First United Methodist Church following the committal.